


Show Me What I'm Looking For

by marvelistakingovermylife



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940's Steve, Back to the Future themes, F/M, Infinity Gems, Post Infinity War, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 15:55:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10130585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelistakingovermylife/pseuds/marvelistakingovermylife
Summary: Steve is sent back to 1948, but Peggy has already moved on from his death. Can Tony find a way to bring Steve back to 2016 now that Steve's world is nothing like he thought it would be?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First fic I've ever posted here, it's something I've been thinking about lately and decided to finally write it out. Should only be a few chapters. Hope you all enjoy it!

The battle was over. Thanos had been defeated, and the Avengers and those who fought alongside them were now nursing wounds, surveying the damage around them and mourning the dead. There were people everywhere, Agents of SHIELD, Guardians of the Galaxy, even the Inhumans made an appearance. Covered in dirt, blood and victory, they all were able to breathe a sigh of relief. However, not all were breathing easily. 

During the battle, Steve Rogers, Captain America himself somehow disappeared. No one could really explain it, all anyone remembered was a flash of purple light and he was gone. All that was left was his shield and a long abandoned helmet. With all the commotion of the battle around them, only a few people had managed to see Steve vanish. 

“I told you. I don’t know how it happened, he was here one second and the next he was gone.” Natasha told Tony, quickly running out of patience with him.

“No one just vanishes. He had to have stepped on something, or touched something. Science just doesn’t work that way.” Tony snapped back.

“We’re also talking about someone who survived 70 years in a block of ice. I don’t know if science is really applicable here.” Sam added, coming to Natasha’s defense. 

“Well he has to be somewhere. We’ve got to find him.”

The Avengers loaded up into the quinjet, and took off back to the compound. If Tony was going to figure out what happened to Captain America, he needed his own equipment. 

************************************************************

Steve woke slowly, his body aching. His signature uniform was ripped in several places, but the wounds he had on his body were already beginning to heal. Wherever he was, it was dark out, which might bode well for him, once he figured out where he actually was. 

Rolling over, he realized he was in an open field. The grass was wet underneath him, and he could hear traffic in the distance. Sitting up slowly, as to not draw attention to himself, he felt as if the scenery around him was fairly familiar. Finally standing up, the New York skyline was now visible to him. But there was something different about it. No massive skyscrapers, no airplanes or helicopters overhead. Buildings that had been built the last time he saw this view were suddenly no longer there. 

Steve looked around to finally get his surroundings. He knew exactly where he was. He was in Brooklyn, but what year was it? Steve guessed it was the middle of the night, given how few people were out. He needed to get out of this uniform immediately, before anyone could recognize him. Luckily, he knew just where to go. 

Steve snuck down some side streets before he arrived at his destination. He found the same fire escape the he could never reach before, but now with the serum in his veins, a jump would be no problem. Pulling himself up onto the ladder, Steve scaled the stairs until he arrived at the window he was looking for. He just hoped it was still the right one. 

Slowly opening the frame, Steve crawled inside. The apartment was almost exactly as he remembered it. Mrs. Barnes must have been keeping it up, not wanting to give up the last memories of her son and his best friend. Steve realized he had to have been in the 40’s, but still not exactly sure of the specific year. 

He was careful not to make too much noise, as he was sure the neighbors would be spooked if they heard noise from an empty apartment in the middle of the night. Freshly showered and fed, Steve had to borrow some of Bucky’s clothes as everything that belonged to him in that apartment was pre-serum Steve’s, and obviously would not fit him anymore. He lay down in his old bed, strangely comforted by the stiffness of the old mattress. Overcome by exhaustion, Steve closed his eyes and fell into sleep.

The next morning, Steve woke early. Desperate to get out into the city, Steve quickly thought twice about that. What if someone recognized him? The newspapers would eat up the sudden return of Captain America, and Steve definitely didn’t want anyone to know he was alive. For now anyway. 

****************************************************************

Tony had been locked away in his lab for over 24 hours now, not sleeping for one minute of it, of course. Dr. Banner and Vision had been with him as well, Banner taking the occasional break as needed. Natasha had been keeping her eye on Tony, and began to become concerned about him. Against her better judgment, she called Pepper in to talk to Tony, and maybe even get him to sleep a little bit. It would be another couple of hours before Pepper could arrive, so Natasha headed into the lab. 

“Brought you some coffee. Figured you might need it.” Natasha said, holding out the mug to a distracted Tony. 

Still standing there holding the mug out, Tony blew past it and continued milling about the room. 

Natasha locked eyes with Bruce, both sharing a concerned look over Tony. 

“So from what I’ve gathered from Vision and from Peter Quill, Steve must have come in contact with one of the Infinity Stones.”

“Meaning what, exactly?” Natasha questioned.

“Meaning, we think that Steve has traveled in time. Whether he went to the past or future, we don’t know.” Bruce replied for Tony. 

“I would say the most likely of the two situations would be that Captain Rogers has gone back in time. Back to a period that he is familiar with, as his mind is not ready to comprehend travel to the future.” Vision clarified for the room. 

“So Steve went back in time. Is that really such a bad thing?” Natasha asked, not really directed at anyone.

“It could be! Cap knows WAY too much about the future. He could step on some bug, wherever he is, and change the future entirely as we know it. Didn’t you ever see Back to the Future?!” Tony had officially lost it.

“Ok. So say he does change some things. Would that be so bad? He could change a lot of things for the better.” Natasha was trying to reason with Tony, but not getting too far.

“Like what, exactly?”

“Oh, gee, I don’t know. Maybe stopping Hydra before it even has a chance to grow inside SHIELD. Rescuing Bucky. Saving your parents. Just a few things come to mind.”

“Yeah, that all sounds great. But he saves my parents, then Obadiah doesn’t control Stark Industries for me, and I don’t get stuck in Afghanistan and no Iron Man.”

“There’s nothing saying that you wouldn’t have come up with Iron Man some other way.”

Tony went to interrupt Natasha before she could get out her next sentence, but she beat him to it. 

“Figure out where he is, fine. But just leave him alone. Steve never belonged thrown into the 21st century so fast, and you know it. Yeah, he’s done great things with all of us, but he deserves to have some peace, especially if he’s happy where he is, right?”

For once, Tony didn’t have a quick response. 

************************************************************************************

Steve waited to leave the apartment until he knew most people would have been at work. He walked down the street, dressed like the other men that he passed by, a hat hung low as to cover his eyes as much as possible. Passing close by the Naval Yard, he noticed a few men on the docks, but not too many men walking on the street in uniform. Steve took this to realize that the war had already ended. Passing a garbage can, he noticed a paper in there, and hoped it was from today. Reaching in to look at it, the date read October 20, 1948. 1948. He crashed the Valkyrie in ’45, so technically he had been dead to the world for three years. Hopefully, no one would be looking for his face on the street, giving Steve a little more anonymity. 

Steve decided to take the train into Manhattan, against some of his better judgment, and luckily found it to be pretty empty. The ride was almost exactly as he remembered it, and Steve found himself smiling at the scenery outside. Stepping off the train, Steve took notice of the people passing him on the street. It was nothing like when he had woken up, people walking around with their phones in their faces, headphones on, completely out of touch with what was going on around them. People were still moving around, focused on their tasks of the day, but a little more invested on what was happening on the street around them.

Walking through the city, Steve realized he had no idea how to find Peggy. If she was in London, how on earth was he supposed to get there without being recognized? It wasn’t like he could open the phone book and dial up the SSR to find out where their office was. He did know one person he could call though. Finding the closest phone booth, Steve stepped inside and began dialing. 

“Stark residence” A British accent that Steve didn’t recognize had picked up the phone. 

“Um, yes. Is Mr. Stark available?” 

“I’m afraid Mr. Stark is still indisposed at the moment. Who might I ask is calling?”

Steve looked at the watch he was wearing. It was almost 11 in the morning, and Howard was still sleeping? He was glad to know that some things hadn’t changed. 

“An old friend. From the war.”

“I shall pass along the message that you called.” Jarvis responded.

“Wait. Please. I really need to speak to him. Now.” Steve pleaded with Jarvis. 

“Whom did you say this was again?”

Steve sighed and moved the receiver away from his ear. 

“Hello?”

“Steve.”

There was a slight pause on the line. Obviously the man on the other end was beginning to put the pieces together. 

“Steve who?”

Just then, Steve heard a very familiar voice in the background. 

“Jarvis, who’s on the phone?” Howard bellowed out.

“An old friend from the war, sir. A Steve, apparently.”

More silence. Followed by laughter. 

“Jarvis, you’ve got to learn to not fall for pranks. Hang up the phone.”

Steve couldn’t risk Jarvis disconnecting the call.

“Wait! Howard! It’s really me!” Steve all but screamed into the receiver. A woman passing by on the street was startled by the yelling from the booth, and walked by quicker. 

Not hearing anything on the line, Steve figured the line had been disconnected, and debated hanging up and trying to call again. 

“Look pal, I don’t know who you think you are but…”

“Howard. I’m telling you, it really is me. Please, you have to believe me. I’ll prove it! You wanted to take Peggy to Lucerne for fondue after dropping me in Austria!” 

Steve didn’t hear a response from Howard, but could hear him breathing on the other end. 

“I don’t know how I got here, but I am here. And I need your help. Please, Howard.”

“Where are you right now?”

*****************************************************************************

Not fifteen minutes later, a car had pulled up to the corner that Steve told Howard he was on. A sharply dressed man stepped out of the car, one Steve did not recognize. 

“Captain, Mr. Stark has sent me to collect you.” Steve recognized his voice as the man from the phone earlier. 

Steve stepped towards the car. “Edwin Jarvis, at your service.”  
The two shook hands, as Steve stepped into the car. It was ornate and spotless, so of course it was Howard’s car but he very clearly was not responsible for the upkeep on it. The two sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence, Steve not really sure what to say to this perfect stranger, and Jarvis at a total loss for words for the soldier to his right. What could he possibly say to him, knowing of all the stories that Peggy had told him?

Thankfully the two didn’t have to worry about exchanging pleasantries, as they arrived at Howard’s building right as the silence became truly unbearable. While the elevator ride was no less uncomfortable, it was very short. When the doors opened, Howard was standing there, waiting for them.

Steve stepped off the elevator cautiously. Howard never took his eyes off Steve as he stood in the foyer of his penthouse. 

“Well I’ll be damned.” Howard said as he scratched his head. He began to walk toward Steve. 

“How the hell are ya, Steve? It’s good to see ya pal!” Howard shook Steve’s hand vigorously. 

“It’s good to see you too Howard.” Steve breathed out, relieved that Howard actually believed it was him. 

“Who found you? I looked for a year for you, but couldn’t ever find a signal. How on earth did you get back here?” Howard bombarded Steve with questions faster than Steve could answer. 

“It’s a pretty crazy story actually. Maybe we should sit down first.”

****************************************************************************

“So let me see if I understand this. You mean to tell me that you came here, from the future?”

“That’s what I’m telling ya.” Steve sat back in his chair, and took a sip of his coffee that Jarvis had set out for them. 

“Wow. I would have thought a lot of things being possible in the future, but not time travel.” Howard was basically in shock over all the information that Steve had just told him. 

“I don’t think it really is possible yet. It’s not like I stepped into some sort of machine and picked a specific date to travel to. I’m lucky I landed in the year that I did.”

“Well, do you wanna go back?” Howard asked.

“Not really. The future is so loud, and really lonely. I never really fit in there to be honest. It wasn’t like I had some huge future planned out after the war, but I would have liked to have had the chance at something.” Steve responded, looking down at the coffee cup on the table, his finger circling the rim. 

“She’s in New York, you know.”

Steve’s eyes snapped up to meet Howard’s. Steve began to breathe a little heavier, trying not to be the first one to bring up Peggy. 

“Just got back from LA a few weeks ago, actually.”

“And she…”

“She still works for the SSR. Pushing her weight around, not letting anyone sideline her as usual.” Howard informed Steve. Steve looked down and smiled, happy to know that Peggy was still the same fireball she always was. 

“It was really rough for her though. For all of us actually, losing you. That’s why I looked for you for so long. I figured that even if I could find your body, at least it would give some kind of closure.”

Steve smile fell. “I am sorry Howard.”

“Hey. You’re here now. That’s what matters. Now. Let’s get you some clothes that actually fit.” Howard clapped his hands together, excited for a new project. 

“Aw Howard, I really don’t feel like going out onto the street if I don’t have to.”

“Of course you don’t have to! Have you forgotten who I am? Jarvis!” 

Jarvis was in the kitchen in a flash, ready to assist with whatever Howard needed. 

“Get my tailor up here. Steve needs some new suits today. And have some of the gals send over some shoes, hats and some casual clothes. He’s going to need something to wear.”

***********************************************************************************

“I think I might have narrowed down what year Steve is in.” Tony burst into the main living area of the compound. “I’ve been going through some of Howard’s records, and he made a huge wardrobe purchase in October of 1948.”

“What makes you so sure that Steve is there?” Pepper asked.

“He had a bunch of suits custom made, but these old receipts show they were for measurements that didn’t fit Howard. They were for a pretty big guy. And Steve is a pretty big guy.”

“So he’s in 1948. What’s the plan?” 

“I have no idea.” 

“Tony. Leave it alone. It’s not like he sent some kind of clue that he’s trying to come back, so just leave it.” Natasha quipped, coming out of nowhere. 

“He’s not supposed to be in 1948. He needs to be back here, before he can change something that can’t be undone. Now, I need to go figure out how to go back 68 years.” Tony wandered off back to his lab.

Natasha hung her head in exasperation as Tony left the room again. 

“Pepper, you have to talk to him. Tell him to just leave everything as it is. Steve deserves to have a chance to live out the life he was supposed to have.”

“Of course he deserves that chance, but what if Tony is right? What would happen if Steve does something he believes to be good, but ends up changing too much?” Pepper responded. 

“I understand the concern. But if Steve and Agent Carter can work together, just imagine how many things they can change for good. Hydra wouldn’t have had a chance to infiltrate SHIELD, Steve could find Bucky before too much damage is done to him; they could destroy the Red Room. I could actually have a chance at a normal life.” Natasha barely whispered out that last sentence. 

“I’ll talk to him.” Pepper walked over to Natasha and placed a hand over hers. 

**************************************************************************************

Steve learned he should never be surprised by how quickly Howard can get things done, but this was ridiculous. In the span of one afternoon, Steve had an entirely new wardrobe. Suits, sweaters, all kinds of pants and shirts, and shoes that went with them. He could have gotten by with Bucky’s clothes, but now that he was taller than Bucky, the pants were awkwardly short on Steve. Finally dressed in a well fitting suit, Steve finally felt confortable in clothes that weren’t intentionally made to fit snug. 

“Now we’re talking! You might be the best looking guy in the room here. You’re not, but you might be.” Howard told Steve, walking back into the living room from his office. 

“Howard, this is all too much. I can’t accept all this from you.” Steve replied, pulling at the sleeves on the suit jacket. 

“Hey. Nothing is too much for my friend, back from the dead or the future or whatever. Did Jarvis make you something to eat? I’m going to be out this evening, so he and Ana can whip you up whatever you’d like.” Howard looked back down at some sheets of paper he had in his hands. 

“Oh it’s really not necessary. Ana made me a huge lunch, so I think I’m set for dinner. I was thinking of maybe going for a walk.”

“Whatever you say pal, just be careful out there. Hey, where are you staying anyway?”

“Oh, in mine and Bucky’s old apartment. It was really the only place I knew I could go.”

“Nonsense. You’re staying here. Jarvis will give you a key.” Howard had barely looked up from his work during this entire interaction. 

“I can’t thank you enough Howard. For everything.” 

The sun was staring to set, and Steve knew that most of the commuters would be heading home now, giving him the opportunity to head out on the street in a little while. 

Howard finally looked up at Steve. “Where you gonna go on this walk?”

“I don’t really know, just around the city I guess. Take in some old sights.” Steve shrugged his shoulders at Howard’s question. 

“Well, if your walk just happens to take you by the phone company, it probably wouldn’t be a terrible thing.”

Howard gave Steve a wink before turning to head back into his office. Steve suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach at the thought of possibly seeing Peggy. Howard really didn’t give him too many details, but at least he knew where she worked now. 

*************************************************************************************

The sun had set, and the commute was over, so Steve felt confident enough to head down to the street. He walked along the sidewalk, hands in the pockets of his new overcoat, buttoned to block out the fall chill in the air. Steve made his way along the familiar streets, past old buildings and shops closed up for the evening. It was nice to see, considering many shops in 2016 stay open as late as they can. He made sure to keep his head down, a hat still obscuring his face without looking too suspicious. Before he knew it, he was across the street from the phone company’s building. 

Steve stood in the shadow of the building debating his next move. It’s not like he could just burst into the building and surprise her. Could he? No, he had to be very gentle with this. He stood outside for a few minutes in the dark wondering how long he could stand in front of the building without someone noticing him. Maybe Peggy had already gone home for the day. Just as Steve was considering giving up and moving on for the night, he saw some movement in the lobby. 

Moving quickly to cross the street, Steve was already on the other side before the figures made it out the door. He made sure to keep himself somewhat hidden, just incase it wasn’t Peggy, but he soon realized it was her. She stepped out into the night, pulling her coat around her, long brown locks catching the breeze that had picked up. Steve smiled and swore he could smell her signature scent coming off of her. He was just about to step out of the shadows when someone else came out of the building to join her. 

“Peg! Wait up, you forgot your scarf.” Daniel Sousa called out behind Peggy.

“Oh thank you Daniel.” Peggy responded, her accent as crisp as Steve remembered it. 

Daniel placed the scarf over her shoulders, and gave her a quick kiss to go along with it. 

Steve felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. Yes, he had technically been dead for three years, and he knew Peggy married and had kids, but seeing it in person was different. Steve turned to make a quick escape before Peggy or Daniel could notice the looming figure standing near them. Steve tucked himself into an alley as the couple walked by, but Peggy stopped suddenly. 

“What is it? Are you alright?” Daniel asked as he noticed Peggy wasn’t at his side anymore. 

“I’m fine, I just got a strange feeling suddenly.” Peggy responded, noting a familiar soap scent in the air she hadn’t smelled in almost three years. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.” Peggy turned and rejoined Daniel, continuing to walk up the street. 

Steve stepped out of the alley when he was sure that Peggy and Daniel were far enough away. He turned and started walking in the opposite direction, back to Howard’s, utterly defeated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently a boring job bring quick chapter updates! Thanks for all the positive feedback everyone!

Steve walked away from the phone company building as quickly as he could, his head down to hide the hot tears making tracks down his face. He avoided going back to Howard’s, not up for the conversation that Mrs. Jarvis would want to make with him. Making his way to the waterfront, Steve wandered along the pier before choosing a bench to sit down on. He rubbed his face roughly with his hands; almost angry at the way his emotions had betrayed him. 

It wasn’t a secret that Peggy had moved on with her life, he had seen the pictures of her children when he went to visit her in her old age. Steve didn’t want Peggy to spend the rest of her life waiting for him, yet why was he so upset over seeing her kiss another man? The fall chill had now turned colder, hinting to the winter season that was rapidly approaching. Steve ignored the way the tips of his fingers began to tingle from the exposure to the elements, and continued to look across the harbor at the Statue of Liberty. 

There was no way he would interfere into Peggy’s relationship, especially if she was happy. Steve was amazed at how desperate he was to want to have a second chance with Peggy, and go back to the period of time he was used to, but now that he found himself where he was, he debated the possibility of going back to the 21st century. Howard definitely didn’t have the technology to figure out how to send Steve back, and Steve was pretty sure that not even Tony had a way either. For now, Steve was stuck hiding in the shadows of 1948. 

Having had enough of the pity party he was throwing for himself on the bench, Steve finally decided to make his way back to Howard’s penthouse. Taking his time, Steve walked up and down the streets of Manhattan, comparing the changes that had been made over 70 years. The streets were quiet for the time of night, but people still passed by Steve, out on nightly walks, heading towards night jobs, or simply out on the town. Finally arriving back at Howard’s, Steve took the elevator up to the top floor. His coat and hair were damp from the nightly dew that had started to settle on the city. Stepping off the elevator, Steve found the penthouse to be fairly quiet. Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis must have gone to bed.

He walked further into the foyer and realized he was wrong. Mr. Jarvis was still awake, however a robe and slippers now replaced his earlier suit. 

“Oh, I’m sorry if I woke you.” Steve stuttered to Jarvis, surprised to see him.

“No need for apologies Captain, I was heading off to bed just now. How was your evening out?”

Steve twirled his hat in his hands, shifting his feet around on the carpet beneath him. “It was nice. Good to see Manhattan as I remembered it.”

“Lovely to hear. Well, good night Captain.” Jarvis decided against asking Steve if he went to find Peggy. He nodded to Steve and turned to head to his bedroom.

“Night.” Steve nodded back. He looked around the large penthouse, and headed towards the room that Howard had designated for him. Steve entered the room, and placed his jacket and hat on a chair near the door. With nothing else to do, Steve got ready for bed, and fought for sleep all night long.

********************************************************************

The next morning, Steve groaned as the sunlight hit his eyes. Finally falling asleep shortly before dawn, Steve laid in bed for as long as he could, wanting to avoid any early morning interactions. Unable to lie around any longer, he finally pulled himself out of the bed. Heading into the bathroom, Steve turned on the shower and let steam fill the room. Howard had managed to find his favorite soap for him, giving Steve some comforts of his old home days, as it was no longer being made in 2016. After a long, hot shower, Steve decided against a shave figuring that a beard would help to disguise him in public. 

Finally making his way into the kitchen, dressed in a pair of casual slacks and sweater, Steve found Howard was already awake. Jarvis was buzzing around the kitchen, putting away the groceries that Mrs. Jarvis had already brought back for the day. 

“Never in my life would I have thought I would be up and dressed before you Steve.” Howard said to Steve over the top of a coffee cup. 

“Just figured that I had nothing else to do, might as well take my time this morning.” Steve shrugged and plopped down into the chair across from Howard. 

“So, how was your night?” Howard raised his eyebrows practically off his face.

“Pretty quiet.”

“Wait, what?” Howard dropped his coffee cup back down into its saucer.

Steve’s silence was enough of an answer for Howard. 

“You didn’t go see her?”

“Oh, I saw her alright. She was leaving with some guy.”

“Some guy? How come I don’t know about this?”

Jarvis began to slowly sneak out of the room, hoping to avoid the conversation. 

“Jarvis! Do you know anything about this ‘guy’?” Howard bellowed to his valet.

“Yes, sir. If it is who I believe it is, Ms. Carter left with Agent Sousa.” Jarvis pressed his lips into a tight line, avoiding all direct eye contact with Steve.

“Sousa huh? Which one is he, the one with the limp or the jerk?”

“The limp.” Steve and Jarvis answered at once. 

“There was a jerk too?” Steve looked to Jarvis.

“Agent Thompson was and has always been just a colleague to Ms. Carter. Quite chauvinistic actually.” Jarvis remembered his interactions with Thompson. 

“Well, what’d you do when you saw them?” Howard asked, taking a bite out of the bacon on his plate. 

“I, uh, I hid in an alley.” Steve was pushing a sugar cube around the table. 

“You what?!” 

“What was I supposed to do? Jump out of the dark and say, hey Peg, I’m here from 2016, wanna give it another shot?” Steve dropped his hands to the table, making the plate and cup rattle with the movement. 

“It might have been a better idea than hiding in an alley like a peeper!” 

“I think she realized something was off though. After she walked by me, she stopped and said she had gotten a strange feeling. I’d like to think it was like she knew I was there, but who knows.” Steve went back to looking down at his sugar cube. 

Jarvis sat trapped against the countertop, his face plastered with anxiety at the conversation he was now apparently involved in. 

The three men all sat in silence for a while, Steve playing with the sugar, Howard working on his breakfast and Jarvis standing like stone in the same spot, not wanting to move. 

“Well, I’m sorry pal. I didn’t know.” Howard was the first to speak. 

“It’s not your fault.”

“I still can’t believe that she’d totally move on. Hell not with the way she acted when she found out I had your blood still.” Howard scoffed.

“Wait, my blood? What are you talking about?” Steve snapped his attention to Howard.

“Uhh, nothing.” Howard quickly responded. 

Steve looked to Jarvis for an answer. Jarvis looked away, but quickly cracked under the pressure of Steve’s glare. 

“It would seem, somehow, Mr. Stark held on to a vial of your blood that was taken after your serum transformation.”

Steve looked to Howard wide-eyed. 

“But Mr. Stark’s intentions were always good. He meant to create vaccines with your blood.” 

“Peg found out it was your blood and decked me. Right in the eye too.”

“Can’t say you didn’t deserve it. I can appreciate you wanting to find cures for diseases, but even in 2016 no one has managed to recreate the serum. Erskine’s secrets died with him.” Steve kept his cool, which was a relief to Howard. 

“So, what are you going to do now?” Howard asked. 

“I don’t know.”

**************************************************************************

Pepper walked into the lab to find Tony behind three large computer screens, all three working at once. She sighed, knowing that Tony would work himself crazy trying to figure out any way to reach Steve. As Pepper walked closer to Tony, Bruce and Vision made their way out of the lab to give the two some privacy. 

“Tony, you need to give yourself a break. You can’t keep working like this without sleep”

Tony kept working behind his screens, but acknowledged that Pepper was there. 

“I have to figure this out Pep. Can’t risk taking a break.”

Pepper came around the desk and placed her hands on Tony’s face. He stopped what he was doing and closed his eyes at her touch. He turned his entire body to face Pepper’s, and she moved her hands to his shoulders. 

“Have you thought of what you’ll do if you find a way to go back? You can’t go and risk seeing your dad, especially if you’re so worried about change to the future.”

“I’ve been thinking about what Natasha said. About Steve saving my parents. Of course, I’d love to be able to have my mom and Howard here today, but I can’t help but be conflicted over it at the same time. Without Howard running Stark Industries, Iron Man would have never been born in the first place. But then I wouldn’t have put you in so much danger either.” Tony rubbed the exhaustion off his face. 

Pepper gave Tony a sympathetic look. 

“I believe that Iron Man would have been created, no matter what. The world will always need the Avengers, don’t ever think otherwise. Now, will you please come upstairs and take a nap? You need to rest.” Pepper pressed her hands into Tony’s shoulders. 

“Alright, fine.” Tony finally succumbed to Pepper’s pleas. 

As Pepper was turning to walk back towards the door, Tony’s voice caught her attention. 

“Hey Pep? Thanks for coming.”

Pepper walked back to Tony and threw her arms around him. He held her back, tightly. 

************************************************************************

Steve moped around Howard’s for most of the day, listening to radio shows he hadn’t heard in a while, actually reading the newspaper, and helping Mrs. Jarvis do some things around the house. By mid-afternoon, Steve was bored out of his mind. He finally decided to sit in the living room and read a Life magazine with the radio playing in the background. He caught Mr. and Mrs. Jarvis dancing in the kitchen and smiled to himself. 

“Hey pal, how’s your day been so far?” Howard strolled into the room. 

“Oh absolutely thrilling. I read the paper front to back and helped Mrs. Jarvis dust in corners that she couldn’t reach. I'm a regular house husband.” Steve responded sarcastically from behind the magazine. 

“Why don’t you get out of town for a while? Take my plane and go wherever you want.” Howard suggested. 

“Where would I go where people wouldn’t recognize me?” Steve dropped the magazine down.

“I’ve heard Morita is back in California, you could go out west for a while.”

“Maybe. Although that would be quite a story to tell him.”

“Just a thought.” Howard was trying to be helpful, and Steve was thankful for that. 

“Any big changes around the city since I’ve been gone that I should see?” Steve was genuinely curious, wanting to get out, but not leave the confines of the city just yet.

“Not really, a few more train lines and some new theaters around town. There is a pretty ridiculous memorial statue of you in the park, if you’re so inclined to explore new things.”

“There’s a memorial? I’m not even dead!” 

“Tell the people of New York that, pal.”

*************************************************************************

Steve felt a little bolder that day, heading out to the park to find the memorial that had been put up in his honor, even though it was still daylight. It was a Thursday afternoon, and the park shouldn’t have been busy at the time Steve walked into it. The sun was warm on Steve’s back, a contrast to the wind from the night before. He wandered through the park, coat over his casual outfit, hat on his head, blending him perfectly into the crowds. 

He finally found the memorial, placed towards the middle of the park, near a small fork in the path. Steve stood in front of the bronze figure of himself, examining the representation perched atop the concrete block. He laughed a bit, and walked over to the bench nearby. Sitting down, he took out a sketchbook and began to draw the scene in front of him. 

A few people walked by, people cutting through the park, couples walking together, kids running ahead of their parents. They all passed by the man on the bench, who was drawing, assuming him to simply be another artist in the park. It was a picturesque scene, the leaves were turning colors and a light breeze was blowing through the trees. Steve let the breeze cross his skin until it carried a familiar scent through his nose. He looked up slowly to see Peggy walking up to the statue. 

Steve’s heart started racing. His mind started assessing the situation and what how could do in that moment. Deciding to sit there for a few more seconds, he watched how Peggy approached the statue, standing before it wringing her hands together. She was alone, and Steve wondered how often she visited the memorial. 

Just then, she turned and stopped. Steve had been caught. He closed his sketchbook and slowly stood up, walking over to meet Peggy. There was no going back now. Her posture suddenly shifted, and Steve prepared himself for what was coming next. A swift punch to the jaw.

****************************************************************************

Steve took the punch in stride, his giant build barely swaying at the hit.

“Ok, I deserved that.” Steve said as he put a hand to his jaw. He didn’t expect the next movement. 

Peggy took a giant swing to Steve’s eye.

“Oww! I definitely didn’t deserve that! What the hell Peggy!” Steve stumbled back, his hand immediately going to his eye as he hunched over. 

The punch and Steve’s yelling caught the attention of the few people around them. A man ran over to Peggy.

“Are you alright Miss? Is this man hurting you?”

“No, I’m quite alright. Just an argument with an old friend.”

The man gave Peggy a disbelieving look, but with the way Peggy was standing, he left them be. Steve’s large hand covered most of his face, so he was unrecognizable. 

“You hurt my eye!” Steve was squinting with his hand still over his eye. 

“You’re lucky I didn’t kill you. Now, who the hell are you?” Peggy reached for her purse, but Steve saw the movement before her hand had barely moved. 

“No, don’t grab your gun. It’s really me.” Steve finally took his hand down from his eye, and looked Peggy in the face. 

Her hand was frozen halfway across her body, hesitating on reaching for her pistol. 

“Guess I’m a little late for our dance, huh?” Steve smiled a little. 

Peggy raised her fist again. 

“Hey! Stop hitting me!” Steve put his hands up in defense. “You’ve already shot me before, the last thing I need is a beating from you too!”

Peggy lowered her arm. 

“I didn’t technically shoot you. I shot AT you. Very different things.”

“I’ll be sure to remember that.”

Steve stood in front of Peggy, hat askew, jacket slightly hanging off his shoulder, and the same look on his face that he gave her after she shot at him. Suddenly, she jumped forward, and hugged him as tightly as she could. Steve flinched for a second, bracing for another punch, but ounce her arms were around him, her enveloped her in his large arms, picking her up off the ground. They stood like that in the park, holding each other in front of the memorial dedicated to him. Peggy took in every once of Steve, from the way his embrace felt right down to the way he smelled. She knew she had recognized that scent the other night. Steve swore his heart could have exploded right then and there. 

He felt the front of his sweater growing damp in the same spot that Peggy’s face was, and he pulled back to look at her face. Peggy finally released Steve, and he put her back on the ground, Peggy stepping back to wipe her face from the tears that were falling. 

“I’m sorry Steve, I have to go.” 

And before Steve could say anything, she turned and ran out of the park, leaving him standing there. 

**********************************************************************************

Peggy walked back to her apartment, not sure of what her feelings should be. She did know that there was absolutely no way she would be going back to work after her surprise lunch break reunion. She walked in the door and slammed it behind her. She threw her purse on the bed and paced back and forth in the entryway. Walking over to the phone, she dialed the office. 

“Sousa.”

“Hello Daniel. I’m not feeling very well; I’m going to be staying home this afternoon.”

“Are you alright? Can I bring you anything?”

Peggy thought carefully about her next words. 

“No, I’m quite alright. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Well, call me if you need anything.” Daniel’s voice was extremely sincere. 

“Of course. Thank you Daniel.”

Peggy hung up the phone and felt terrible about lying to Daniel. She cared deeply about him, but could not shake the feeling she had whenever she saw Steve. Peggy had moved on from Steve; let him go over a year ago on the Brooklyn Bridge. So why did she feel so guilty? Peggy knew immediately that she needed to clear the air with Steve, and had a feeling that she knew exactly where she could find him.

Moving into her bedroom, Peggy freshened herself up, reapplying makeup that had been rubbed off during her emotional outburst with Steve. She combed out her hair, fixing the curls that had fallen while she ran out of the park. Three years ago, there would have been no way that Peggy would have turned and run away from Steve, but that was three years ago. Things were very different now. 

Picking up the phone again, she dialed another familiar number and was met with a very familiar voice on the other end. 

“Stark residence.” 

“Mr. Jarvis. Indulge me for a moment.”

“Um, yes of course Ms. Carter.” Jarvis took a huge breath. 

“Do tell me, is Mr. Stark entertaining any house guests at the moment?”

“Whatever would make you think that Ms. Carter?”

“Just a hunch.”

There was a pause on the line. Peggy could practically hear Jarvis rubbing his ear. 

“Mr. Stark has a number of guests that come and go as they please.”

Peggy rolled her eyes at Jarvis’ attempt to side step the question.

“Any guests in particular lately?”

“Um, lately? Well… perhaps you would like to speak with Mr. Stark, I’m sure I could…”

“No need Mr. Jarvis, thank you for the information.” Peggy dropped the receiver back down. Steve was definitely staying with Howard. She grabbed her purse and headed out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos on the story! I'm thinking there will be one more chapter after this, so enjoy!

Tony and Bruce had been working tirelessly to try and figure out a way to get to Steve. Days turned into nights, and suddenly a week had gone by. Pepper had given up on trying to talk Tony out of working so hard, but kept a sharp eye on him none the less. Suddenly, while Tony was making adjustments to the machine he had built in hopes of being able to go back in time, a small portal opened. Bruce and Tony shared a look of amazement between each other. 

“Holy crap Stark. Did you just make time travel a possibility?” Bruce took his glasses off.

“I think I might have.” Even Tony couldn’t believe what was in front of him. 

“I’ll get the girls.”

Bruce ran out of the room, hoping to reach Pepper and Natasha before Tony made any crazy decisions, like jumping into the portal. Finding both of them, Pepper and Natasha sprinted into the lab to see if what Bruce had told them was actually true. They all entered the room slowly, their faces in disbelief. 

“Tony, what did you do?” Pepper was the first to speak. 

“I did it. I gotta go get him. I have to go get Cap back.”

“You can’t go.” Natasha spoke up. “You go back to where Steve is, and your dad sees you, it will change everything.”

“Howard doesn’t know who I am yet. And besides, maybe he’ll meet me and actually like me.” 

“She’s right. If anyone goes, it should be someone that has no direct relation to the people that are involved in this situation.” Bruce broke up the growing argument. 

“Aw come on Banner. Just let me go to be able to say that I actually did it. I’ll stay out of the way. I swear. Besides, what if whoever goes experiences a problem on the other end and needs an actual genius to get home? Then you’ll wish I actually went.”

Natasha rolled her eyes, and Bruce rubbed his forehead thinking of the pros and cons of the situation. 

“Alright fine. Since he’s dying to go, I’ll take Tony and see if we can find Steve.” Natasha let out a sigh as Tony put both of his arms in the air in victory. 

“Well, if you’re going to go, we’re going to need to get you the right clothes to fit in.” Pepper spoke up as she was heading out of the lab, already set on a new project. 

*********************************************************

Peggy stepped out of the elevator in Howard’s penthouse, having stormed through the streets of New York to get there. Mr. Jarvis took immediate notice of her arrival and jumped to the foyer to intercept her. 

“Ah Ms. Carter, so lovely to see you again. Can I get you something, some tea perhaps?”

“No need for stalling Mr. Jarvis. Where is he?” Peggy got straight to the point. 

“I’m afraid Mr. Stark isn’t home at the moment.”

“She’s not looking for Howard, Mr. Jarvis. She was talking about me.” Steve spoke up suddenly before Peggy could respond. 

“Well then. I suppose I’ll leave you two alone then.” Jarvis slipped out of the room as quickly as he entered it. 

Steve and Peggy stood in the foyer and looked at each other. A small bruise was forming on his jaw, but that was nothing compared to the black eye that was rapidly growing on his face from Peggy’s earlier blow. 

“I just don’t understand.” Peggy finally broke the silence between the two. 

“You and me both.”

“You look different.”

“You look beautiful.”

Peggy immediately looked down at the floor, trying to conceal the tears that were rapidly forming in her eyes. She took a few deep breaths, and composed herself before looking back up at Steve again. 

“Why don’t we go sit down? I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” Steve motioned for Peggy to head into Howard’s kitchen. Peggy nodded and walked past Steve, trying to keep as much distance between the two as possible. She took a seat at the table as Steve poured coffee for the both of them, placing the cup in front of Peggy. He decided to stand, leaning against the counter instead of sitting across from Peggy. 

“So. Where do you want me to start?”

**********************************************************

Peggy sat silently, digesting all of the information Steve had just told her. He stood in his same spot, looking for any sign of emotion from Peggy’s face. 

“I know it’s a lot to take in, but I told you that I would tell you everything.” Steve was desperate for a response from Peggy. 

“So you mean to tell me that Howard Stark has a son?”

“I told you that literal aliens attacked the earth and that’s the part you took away from everything?”

“Well, that’s the part I tend to have the hardest time believing.”

Peggy and Steve shared a small laugh that grew into a bigger one. Once their laughter died down, they fell back into silence. Steve finally moved to sit down at the table across from Peggy. As she looked up at him, Steve averted his gaze down to the table. 

“I saw you the other night.”

“What? When?”

“The day after I arrived here. Howard told me that you worked out of the phone company building now. I walked over there that night, and saw you leave. You looked really happy.” Steve made sure not to bring up the fact that he saw her leaving with Daniel. 

“I knew something was off. I could have sworn that I smelled your soap when I walked by that alleyway, but I didn’t think it was possible.” A small tear finally escaped Peggy’s eye, tracking down her cheek. Steve instinctively reached out and wiped it away. Peggy made no effort to pull away either. 

“I made so many mistakes that day. I should have done everything so much differently. In the moment, it just seemed like the right thing to do to make sure that others wouldn’t be harmed. But in the end I ended up hurting you the most. I’m so sorry Peggy.”

“So what are you planning to do now?” Peggy asked, changing the subject immediately. “Reintroduce Captain America back to the world?”

“I would prefer not to, but seeing as how I’ll probably end up stuck here without a way to get back to the future, I can’t exactly keep hiding for the rest of my life. The war’s over, no one really needs Captain America right now.”

“The world will always need you.” Peggy reached across the table and placed her hand over Steve’s. He looked up at her and smiled. 

Peggy suddenly pulled her hand back once Steve placed his large hand over hers, recoiling from the electricity she felt from his skin. 

“Well, I should be going.” Peggy stood up suddenly, straightening out her skirt. 

“Yeah, of course. I’m sure you have places to be.” Steve stood as well. 

Peggy collected her purse and headed towards the elevator. She stepped inside once the doors opened, turning to face Steve who was watching her leave. 

“Bye Steve.”

“I’ll be seein’ ya.” Steve said as the doors closed. 

**********************************************************

Pepper stepped back from Tony, taking a look at her work before her. She had located a variety of vintage 40’s clothing for both Tony and Natasha, dressing them for the period they were headed back to. Pepper also had to force Tony to shave his signature goatee into a moustache. That didn’t go over very well. 

Tony turned to take a look at himself in the mirror. 

“Oh my god. I look just like Howard.” He rubbed his face, already missing the hair that was once on his chin. 

“That is the whole point. I don’t think you going to 1948 in an Iron Maiden t-shirt would go over very well.” Pepper adjusted the pocket square on Tony’s jacket. 

They made their way back into the lab where they met Natasha who was dressed in a crisp blouse and skirt. Her hair was pinned up as well. 

Bruce stood at the computer, entering in data and calculations while Tony and Natasha prepared for their travel. 

“Remember. Natasha is going to locate Steve, and you’re going to…” Pepper asked Tony.

“Stay hidden from Howard, and not cause trouble.” Tony responded like a little kid being scolded. 

“I think it’s ready.” Bruce spoke up from behind the computers. 

Natasha and Tony walked over to where the portal had opened earlier and stood next to each other. Grabbing hold of the other’s hands, they prepared for whatever was about to happen. Tony winked at Pepper with a small smile on his face. 

“1948, here we come.”

With a huge snap and a burst of air, they were suddenly gone. 

***********************************************************

Peggy wandered along the streets of New York, heading towards the automat. She desperately needed to talk to someone, and knew the only person she could talk to was Angie. Peggy pushed open the door of the automat, and took a seat at the counter. She stared at the wall blankly. 

“Hey English. You all right? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Angie poured Peggy a cup of coffee.

“Believe it or not, I have.” Peggy looked up at Angie. “Someone I thought to be long dead is very much not.”

“Jeez Peg. Sounds like the storyline from the pictures.”

“I needed to tell someone, and you came to mind first.”

“I’m glad ya did. One of my girlfriends, Bridget, found herself a nice fella and he stopped writing her, so she moved on to a new man, but turns out, the first guy’s letters got lost in the mail, and she was in a real pickle after that.” Angie leaned against the counter. 

“Well, this isn’t exactly a case of lost post. I need you to keep a secret Angie.”

“Of course Peg.”

“You can not tell anyone. I mean it.”

“Now you’re kinda scaring me. What’s going on?”

“The man in the war that I lost, he was the love of my life. He’s the one I just saw.”

“Holy smokes Peggy! Why do I need to keep that a secret though?”

“Because he wasn’t just any man. He was a very special kind of man. One you actually know.”

Angie gave Peggy a confused look. 

“One you saw in Passaic.” 

Angie stepped back from the counter and thought about what Peggy had told her for a second. Then it hit her.

“Oh. OH! Oh my god Peggy!”

A few patrons looked up at Angie’s outburst. 

“Shhhh Angie! That’s why you need to keep it a secret.” Peggy frantically tried to quiet Angie down. 

“Wow Peg. I had no idea. Captain America!”

“Yes well it was quite a shock for me as well.” Peggy sipped from her coffee. 

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.” 

“How am I supposed to tell Daniel? I can’t exactly keep it a secret from him.”

“Maybe don’t tell him for a while. No one knew about you two, right?” Angie asked, as Peggy shook her head no.

“Well, that could buy you some time to think of a way to tell him then.” 

“I have to tell him eventually.” 

“Give yourself a day. That way you can think of what you want to say.”

Peggy smiled at her friend, thankful for the fact that she had come to the automat before deciding to go anywhere else. 

“Thank you Angie.”

“Any time English.” Angie smiled as she moved down the counter to help the other customers. 

***************************************************************

Peggy was dreading heading into work that day; her face betrayed the fact that she didn’t sleep for most of the night. She did her best to cover the dark circles under her eyes, but the puffiness from the crying was harder to conceal. Finally accepting that this was the best she was going to look, Peggy made her way to the SSR office. 

Walking towards the office, Peggy was so immersed in her thoughts she didn’t notice that Howard’s car was parked outside of the building. Once she finally made her way inside, the commotion of the office caught her attention. Agents were buzzing around the chief’s office, trying to catch a glimpse of the special visitor inside. Catching a glimpse of the visitor’s blonde hair, Peggy’s blood ran cold. 

Daniel came over to Peggy and caught her by surprise. 

“Hey Peg. How’re ya feeling?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked how you are feeling. Better than yesterday?”

“Hm, oh yes. Who is that in Thompson’s office?”

“So you haven’t heard? Captain America himself. Back from the dead. Thompson is thrilled he happened to come in today, of course.”

The door to Thompson’s office swung open, as Howard, Thompson and Steve stepped out. Steve was dressed in his full dress uniform and was laughing at something Howard was saying to Thompson. Steve and Peggy locked eyes and she had to stop herself from melting into the floor right then and there. 

“Don’t you want to go say hello?” Daniel’s voice broke into her mind. 

“Not particularly.” 

It was too late. The trio had made their way over to where Peggy and Daniel were standing. If looks could kill, the one Peggy gave Howard would have done massive damage at that moment. 

Thompson laughed and clapped Steve on the back as if they were old friends. 

“Heya Margie. Glad you joined us today. I’d make introductions, but I’m sure you know the Captain here.” Thompson snickered as he spoke to Peggy. Steve gave him a dirty look out of the side of his eye. 

“Yes, Captain Rogers and I have been introduced. Good to see you’re alright Captain.” Peggy’s tone was sharp. 

“We’re happy to have you come aboard Captain. Could use a guy like you in the office.” Daniel stuck his hand out towards Steve. 

Steve hesitated before shaking Daniel’s hand, but took it anyway. “Glad to be here.”

“Anyway, we’ll schedule the full press conference in a few days. But for now, this is a need to know basis.” Howard said to the group. 

“Fine by me. Good to see you Captain Rogers.” Peggy turned and walked away from the men she was just standing with. 

Daniel noticed something seemed off about Peggy, and made off to follow her. Thompson returned to his office after saying his goodbyes to Steve, and he and Howard made their way to leave the building. Steve had his head down, and Howard took notice of his attitude. 

“Just give her some time pal. Peggy will come around.”

Steve nodded at Howard’s comments. He thought about the face to face he finally had with Daniel and didn’t think he was such a bad guy. The pang of jealousy still stuck around in Steve’s jaw however. They both arrived outside, Jarvis awaiting them with the door to the car open. 

“Go ahead without me. I’ll be back a little later.” Steve placed his cover slightly askew on his head; there were still some men on the street in uniform, so it wasn’t exactly like Steve stood out, but he still made sure to keep his face hidden. Steve put his hands in his pockets and walked away from the building, leaving Howard to watch him as he went. 

******************************************************************

Tony and Natasha landed flat on their backs on a sprawling lawn behind a large mansion. Tony was coughing, trying to catch his breath while Natasha groaned at the contact of the solid ground. 

“Ugh where are we?” Natasha managed to ask. 

“My house. Well, Howard’s house. One of the many places I grew up.” Tony responded, finally managing to stand up. 

“Doesn’t look like anyone is home. How do we know if we’re in the right year?” Natasha stood beside Tony, taking in the immensity of the home before her. 

“Well, we go inside and turn on the radio.”

Tony started off towards the house, leaving Natasha to break into a small jog to catch up with Tony. 

They entered the house with caution, Tony knew how much Howard liked to bounce around from place to place but it didn’t look like anyone had been there in a while. Natasha took in the house around her, and understood where Tony got his grandiose taste from, but dared not to say anything to him. 

Evening was settling in, so Tony walked over to the large radio, turning the nobs until he reached a station that came through clearly. Natasha almost fell over when they heard what the program was. 

“And now, The Captain America Adventure Program, presented to you on October 25th, 1948.”

“The Captain America Adventure Program? Good lord, that sounds awful.” Natasha twisted her face at the radio announcer. 

“Well at least we know we’re in the right place.” Tony flipped the radio off quickly before the program could continue on any further. 

“So how do we find Steve?”

“We’ll take one of Howard’s cars, and head into the city. I remember Jarvis, the real Jarvis, saying something about a diner he used to go to. We can check there first. Besides, it’s 1948. How hard can it be to find him?”

Tony and Natasha cleaned up a bit before heading to the garage, and loading themselves into one of Howard’s Cadillac’s. Tony turned the engine over and made off for the city, in hopes of finding Steve sooner rather than later. 

********************************************************************

Steve managed to wander into the automat, sitting in a booth with his back to the door. Luckily it wasn’t too busy inside, Steve busied himself doodling on napkins while he ate a sandwich and sipped at his coffee. Someone sitting across from him in the booth broke his concentration. 

“Let me ask you something. Now that you’ve returned to this world, will I be seeing you everywhere I go?”

Steve sat back and smirked at Peggy. His newfound 21st century quip was going to be fun to try out on Peggy. 

“Last time I checked, New York City was mine first. No one told you to stay here.”

Peggy was at a loss for words. Steve certainly wasn’t the same shy boy she met at Camp Leigh. 

“Well I suppose if we’re to be working together now, we should be cordial to one another.”

The two sat in silence as Peggy reached over and took the other half of Steve’s sandwich for her. Steve smiled at Peggy’s actions, but decided against saying anything. 

“Daniel seems nice.” Peggy locked eyes with Steve mid chew. 

“He is quite lovely, yes.”

“Just lovely?”

“Steve…”

“Peggy, I get it. I technically died almost three years ago, and you moved on. I didn’t want you to spend the rest of your life waiting for me.” Peggy didn’t dare look away from Steve. 

“Does he treat you good?”

“Probably much better than I deserve.” Steve reached over and grabbed Peggy’s hand. That electric spark was there once again. 

“You deserve the whole world. Maybe there was once a time for us, but you’re with Daniel now. I’m not here to get in the way of that.”

Tears were beginning to fill Peggy’s eyes as the door to the automat opened and closed. She didn’t want to look away from Steve’s face, however the person that just walked in caught her attention. 

“Oh Steve..." Peggy trailed off. "Howard just walked in.” She pulled her hands back from Steve’s. 

Steve scrunched his brow and turned to see what Peggy was talking about. Steve’s eyes grew as wide as saucers when he saw who had just walked in the door. 

“Oh my god.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Oh my god.” 

Steve’s eyes grew so big; it was a wonder they didn’t pop out of his head. Natasha and Tony stood in the door looking around the diner, hoping to spot some sign of Steve. Natasha was the first one to notice that Steve had turned around to look at them, her hand flying immediately to Tony’s stomach drawing his gaze to where hers was. 

The pair walked over to the booth that held Steve and Peggy, Steve immediately rising to greet his friends as Peggy quickly wiped her eyes. 

“Thank god you’re alright.” Natasha hugged Steve tightly. 

“You’re not a very hard man to find Cap.” Tony clapped Steve’s shoulder, earning an eye roll from Natasha. 

“You were supposed to stay in the car.” 

“And miss seeing Rogers in his natural element? Absolutely not. It’s like watching a dog walk on its hind legs.”

Peggy watched the interaction between the three, quickly realizing that the man she assumed was Howard was actually not, and must be the infamous son that Steve had told her about. He did not however, mention the redhead in his conversation and she found the familiar feeling of jealousy growing in her stomach. They all sat in the booth, Natasha next to Steve with Tony next to Peggy. 

“Peg, these are my friends. This is Natasha.” Steve gestured to Natasha as she extended her hand to Peggy. 

“And this is Tony.”

“Stark, I presume.” Peggy said as she took Tony’s hand. 

“You told her about me? You have to be more careful about how much information you share!” Tony looked to Steve with wide eyes. 

“Yes I told her. But it’s not that hard to put it together. You look just like Howard, especially since you’ve shaved.”

“Believe me, it wasn’t my idea.” Tony rubbed at his face, still heartbroken over the loss of his beloved facial hair. 

“How did you even get here?”

“Tony, Bruce and Vision have been working non-stop to figure out a way to find you since the war. A week straight of work in the lab and he figured it out.” 

“We’re here to bring you home.” Tony snuck back into the conversation. 

Peggy sat listening to the conversation between Tony, Steve and Natasha with little emotion, however hearing Tony say they were planning on taking Steve back into the future with them made her heart stop. She looked to Steve, watching his eyes drift back and forth between Tony and Natasha. The thought of Steve being gone again from her life was almost too much for her to bear. But she was with Daniel now. Was it really losing Steve once again if he was never hers to begin with?

As Steve and Tony were deep in conversation, Natasha looked to Peggy and watched the way she looked at Steve. 

Suddenly feeling like she was drowning, Peggy spoke up.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me I need to be on my way.” Tony scrambled to stand up and let Peggy out of the booth.

“It was lovely meeting you all.” 

Peggy turned on her heel and walked straight for the door. Tony and Natasha watched her leave, but Steve scrambled up out of the booth, crawling over Natasha to run out the door after Peggy. 

“Peggy wait!”

“This is why you should have waited in the car.”

Steve quickly caught up to Peggy, keeping at steady pace with her as she walked down the street. 

“Peggy, please don’t be upset.”

“I’m not upset at all Steve. Your friends are here to take you back, and you certainly seem ready to go.”

“But I’m not.”

Peggy suddenly stopped to look at Steve. 

“Look, I don’t know what to do. All I know is that I want to stay here with you as long as I possibly can, and I need you to tell me what to do.” Steve’s voice cracked with emotion. 

“I can’t. I can’t tell you what to do anymore. You need to make your own decision now.” Peggy placed her hands on either side of Steve’s face. He reached up and placed his hands over hers, bowing his head down. 

“Walk me home?”

Steve nodded his head, and offered his arm to Peggy, which she gladly accepted. They started off down the street, arm in arm looking like other couples that passed them by. Tony and Natasha had followed them out, watching the entire interaction from the front of the automat. As Tony started to head towards Steve and Peggy, Natasha caught his arm holding him back. 

“What are you doing? We have to bring him with us.”

“Let them go. We know where to find Steve now, giving him a little more time isn’t going to be the end of the world.”

“Not that we know of!”

“Get in the car Tony.”

Natasha got into the front seat, leaving Tony standing on the street grumbling to himself. He got behind the wheel and started towards Howard’s penthouse to wait for Steve to come back.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________

After walking Peggy back to her apartment, Steve made his way back to Howard’s penthouse. His mind was racing with the events of the day, from meeting Daniel to seeing Tony and Natasha at the automat. Before he knew it, he was suddenly back at Howard’s ready to head inside before Natasha called his name. Steve walked up to the car, leaning against it and bending down to eye level. 

“Ready to go Cap?”

“Just let me go upstairs to change. I’ll be right back.”

Steve made his way into the building, heading straight for the elevator. The ride up felt like an eternity when the doors finally opened to reveal the penthouse. He stepped out and made his way towards his room to change out of his uniform. Steve reemerged a few minutes later, dressed very casually and took notice that the penthouse was completely empty. He wrote out a quick note to Howard to postpone the press conference announcing that Captain America had returned, promising to explain why later. 

Steve walked back towards the elevator, turning to look back at his home for the past week taking in the feel of the apartment for what could be the last time. Once back in the lobby, he made his way back into the car. Tony started the engine and made their way through the city streets. 

“Where are we going?” Steve asked from the backseat.

“Howard’s house. Just outside the city. Tony figured it would be a good place to hide out while we were here.” Natasha turned to face Steve. 

The rest of the ride was made in complete silence, Tony staring out straight ahead silently questioning if what he was doing was the right thing. The car pulled into the driveway and the three unloaded into the house. 

“I’m going to go check on the portal.” Tony walked towards Howard’s lab, leaving Steve and Natasha behind in the living room. 

“Are you okay?”

“I guess so.”

“Steve.”

“Ever since I woke up, all I ever wanted was to be able to go back, change my past. But now that I’m here, it’s not what I was expecting. I know you’re here to take me back, and a part of me is ready to go, but I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“So what happens if you stay?”

Steve shrugged. “What would you do?”

“What would I do? If I was miraculously reunited with the long lost love of my life? Tough choice.”

“You think I should stay.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“I saw the way she looked at you. It was pretty obvious she’s still crazy about you. I wanted Tony to leave you alone. The only reason I came with him was to make sure he didn’t do anything he couldn’t take back.”

Tony came back into the room, breaking the conversation between Natasha and Steve. 

“Well?”

“I need more time.”

Before Tony could say anything to Steve, Natasha spoke up. 

“You’ve got a literal time machine in the next room. I think we can give Steve a few more hours here.”

“I need to get back into the city.” Steve looked to Tony.

“There’s an old motorcycle in the garage, I think.” Tony pointed towards the two doors that were visible from the windows in the living room. 

Steve pushed himself up from the back of the couch he was leaning on and headed towards the garage with Natasha in tow. He pulled open the door to the garage to reveal a barrage of different cars, and what appeared to be a motorcycle covered by a sheet. Steve stepped towards it, and pulled the sheet off to reveal a familiar sight. 

“I can’t believe it.”

“What?” Natasha asked.

“This was my motorcycle. The one I used during the war in Europe. I can’t believe that Howard managed to keep it.”

Steve circled the bike, inspecting it as he went along.

“Back into the city, huh?” Natasha leaned against a flashy roadster in the garage. 

“I have to figure out what to do, especially if that means seeing Peggy one last time.” Steve mounted the bike and started it up, filling the garage with noise. 

“Good luck!” Natasha shouted as Steve rode out of the garage.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

The sun was beginning to set on what felt like the longest day ever to Steve. He weaved the bike in between the cars on the road, heading straight towards Peggy’s apartment. He pulled up outside and noticed that the light in her apartment was on. Steve got off the bike and grabbed a few small pebbles that were in the gutter, tossing them up at Peggy’s window. Two pebbles later, and the window opened revealing Peggy leaning out of the frame.

“Steve? What on earth are you doing?”

Steve smiled up at Peggy, and gestured to the bike. “Take a ride with me Peggy Carter?”

“What will the neighbors think?” Peggy smiled back at him. 

“I’m a Captain. You’re safe with me.”

“I’ll be right down.”

Steve smiled as Peggy shut her window. He sat leaning against the bike, waiting for her to come down to the street. When Steve caught sight of Peggy coming through the front door of her building, he stood up and held his hand out to her. 

“Where are we going?”

“I want to show you one of my favorite spots in all of New York.”

Steve got back on the motorcycle, and helped Peggy climb on behind him. Her arms immediately found their way around him, and he smiled to himself as he started the engine. Peggy screamed as Steve took off without warning, eliciting a belly laugh from Steve and a smack on the back of his shoulder. He was careful not to weave the bike through traffic, not wanting to risk his cargo he was carrying. Peggy had slowly pulled herself closer to Steve, turning her head to rest it on his back as he drove them across the Brooklyn Bridge. Within no time, the bike stopped near a bench that sat directly under the bridge. 

“Well this is it.” Steve pointed towards the view, the bridge in the foreground of the city across the river. 

“It’s absolutely beautiful.” Peggy took the scene in, looking around. 

“Nah, you’re beautiful. This is just a nice accessory.” 

Peggy’s cheeks flushed, and in that minute, it was only the two of them in the whole world. No Daniel, no Tony, no Natasha, just Steve and Peggy. Desperately needing a break in the tension, Peggy began to walk towards the water sitting on the bench and letting out a large sigh. Steve followed behind shortly, sitting next to Peggy as she turned to face him. 

“Daniel’s asked me to live with him.”

“Oh yeah? What did you say?”

“I put him off for now. I’ve been faced with quite a challenge lately.”

“I understand…”

“You don’t. You don’t know what this is like. You don’t know how awful it’s been to live the past three years without you. To not be able to share things with you, to call you and hear your voice, or just to even smell you. It’s been horrible and you don’t understand.” Peggy’s eyes misted over, but no tears fell. 

“I may not understand what you’re going through, but I know how awful it feels to be alone. Suddenly waking up after 70 years and I’m supposed to move on with my life like nothing is wrong? With everyone I knew and loved dead? So you’re not alone in feeling like this. We’re suffering the same way, just in different decades.”

Peggy stared at Steve’s face, drinking in as much of his as she could. She reached her hand up to his face, stroking at the fine lines near Steve’s eyes that weren’t there the last time she saw him. 

“This is quite dangerous. You’ve only gotten better looking as you’ve gotten older. You couldn’t have been fat or bald?” They both laughed deeply at Peggy’s comment. 

Music began drifting out of a nearby open window, the wind carrying the mellow tune towards the would-be couple on the bench. Steve’s enhanced hearing caught the notes much sooner than Peggy’s, causing him to suddenly stand and offer her his hand. 

“What are you doing?”

“I do believe I owe you a dance Ms. Carter.”

“Well, you’re only three years late, but I suppose I can overlook it.”

Peggy took Steve’s hand and stood. Steve took the lead, placing his hand on Peggy’s lower back, swaying them both to the music. They held one another close, their bodies fitting perfectly together, Steve showing no signs of inexperience. He bent his head down to Peggy’s hair, inhaling the scent of her Yardley’s lavender soap and signature perfume. If Steve was going back with Tony and Natasha, he wanted every last memory of Peggy that he could get. 

“And here I was worried about you stepping on my toes. You’re quite the dancer Captain Rogers.”

“The thing about having a lot of time on your hands in the future? Dancing lesson videos. Tons of ‘em.”

“Speaking of the future…”

“That didn’t take long.”

“One of us had to bring it up, you know that.”

Steve nodded, agreeing with Peggy’s statement. 

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I’m thrilled to be back here, with you of course, but it’s not exactly going as I had hoped. I think I have to go back.”

Peggy stopped dancing, dropping her hands from Steve and taking a few steps back. 

“Just like that?”

“It seems like the right thing to do.” Steve stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking down to avoid Peggy’s heartbreaking stare. 

“Right, well then. I think it’s best you take me home now.”

“Peggy.”

“It’s getting late.”

Peggy started off back towards the bike, leaving Steve to watch her walk away yet again. He sighed heavily and followed her to the bike to take Peggy back to her apartment.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The ride back to Peggy’s was nothing like the ride to Brooklyn. She kept as much distance between them as possible, without her falling off the back of the bike entirely. Steve pulled the bike in front of her building, killing the engine and looking for the right words to say to Peggy. 

“It was lovely to see you again, even if it was for such a short time.” Peggy turned to face Steve after she stepped off the bike. 

“Let me walk you up.”

“It’s not necessary.”

“Please?”

Wordlessly, Peggy turned and gestured towards the front door of her apartment building. Steve walked up, holding the door open for Peggy and noticing her facial expression. He followed her into the building, walking right behind her on the stairs. 

“Please don’t be mad Peggy.”

“I’m not mad Steve. I’m not mad.” Peggy reached into her purse for her keys; turning them in the lock once she located them. 

“Well I guess this is it. I’ll be seein’ ya.” Steve turned to walk away but didn’t make it very far before Peggy’s voice caught him. 

“Steve?”

He walked back towards Peggy, trapping her body between the door and the frame. Even though she was holding her breath, her chest was moving up and down rapidly under Steve’s gaze. 

“Do you want to come with me?” Steve whispered. 

“Are you really leaving?”

“There’s nothing here for me anymore.”

“I’m here.” Peggy’s response was surprisingly strong. 

“You know what I mean. I can’t stay here.”

“Not even for me?”

“I lost you once. I think I’m strong enough to do it again. I just don’t belong here anymore.”

“You don’t belong there. You should be here with me.”

“Then I don’t belong anywhere.”

Tears had begun to form in Peggy’s eyes, but her voice remained completely calm. Steve reached his hand to Peggy’s face, stroking her cheek with his thumb and smiling. 

“Bye best girl.”

Steve had barely turned away when he heard his name called once again. He turned his head to see Peggy looking down; the tears in her eyes earlier had begun falling down her face, clouding her vision as she looked up at Steve. 

“Steve? I don’t want to wake up tomorrow in a world without you again.” Peggy was openly sobbing now, her words barely making their way out. 

Closing the distance between the two of them in an instant, Steve grabbed Peggy’s face, capturing it in a deep kiss. It was nothing like their last kiss, this one wasn’t rushed and they weren’t under the eyes of Phillips. This kiss was passionate and full of love. 

Steve kissed Peggy over and over, still holding her face while wiping away her tears. 

“I love you. I’ve always loved you.” He whispered to her so gently that no one other than Peggy would have heard it. 

Peggy let out another big sob, covering her mouth when Steve pulled away. 

“I’ll be at Howard’s house outside the city if you change your mind.” And with that, Steve walked back down the stairs, shaking his head as he went out the door back to his bike, leaving Peggy behind once again. 

It was dumb luck that Steve made it back to Howard’s in one piece after riding his bike with tears constantly filling his eyes. What the hell was he doing? Steve wasn’t the type of guy to steal away someone else’s girl, but this wasn’t just any girl. He could practically hear Bucky’s voice telling him what a punk he was, and to stop moping around and go get his girl back. But this was fate. He was supposed to go back into the future with Tony and Natasha. They were both up and waiting when Steve came back into the house, immediately taking notice of how terrible Steve looked.

“Hey, are you alright?” Natasha asked as she put her glass down on the table in front of her. 

“Do mind if we don’t talk about this?” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. 

Natasha nodded and looked to Tony with concern in her eyes. 

“When, when do we have to leave?” Steve asked Tony. 

“We can leave tomorrow. Get some rest Cap.”

“Thanks, but uh, I probably won’t be getting any rest.” Steve wandered off from the conversation, heading outside to sit in a chair by the pool. 

Natasha stood to go after Steve, but Tony called her back. 

“Just give him some space.”

“I told you this was a bad idea. We should have just left it alone.”

“I’m starting to think you’re right.” Tony slouched back onto the sofa.

“Did you just agree with me?” Natasha teased.

“Oh I wanna take it back now.” Tony laughed, recalling the exact conversation the two had during the fiasco with the Sokovian Accords. 

“We’ll see how he is in the morning.” Tony went back to nursing his drink, as Natasha looked out to the pool to see Steve laying flat on his back on a deck chair, staring up at the sky.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning was absolute hell for Peggy. She woke up after a few hours of sleep emotionally hung over; her body was aching along with the throbbing in her head from the previous night of crying. Despite all of this, she was still Peggy Carter and so she drug herself out of bed to get ready for work. 

She didn’t know how she managed to arrive at the office, or how she looked so put together but suddenly she was in the elevator going up to the SSR office. The doors opened to reveal agents going about their jobs; some were cordial enough to even say good morning to her as she walked into the office. Peggy placed her purse at her desk, falling down into the chair as she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, a habit she picked up from Steve. 

“Morning!” Daniel chirped, startiling Peggy as he handed her a cup of coffee. 

“Thank you.” She accepted the coffee gratefully. 

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Do you want to reschedule tonight?” Daniel questioned.

“Tonight?”

“Yeah. Remember, we’re going to dinner?”

“Oh of course. No need to reschedule.” Peggy waived her hand at Daniel as she sipped her coffee. 

“Alright. You sure you’re okay?”

“No need to worry about me Daniel.” Peggy plastered a smile on her face. 

“Oh. You might want to steer clear of Thompson today. He’s all broken up that Stark called off the Captain America press conference. I’m sure you’ll be the first person he corners for information.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.” Peggy rolled her eyes at the thought of Jack questioning her about Steve. 

Daniel made his way back to his desk, working on the case that had brought him out from Los Angeles while Thompson healed from his bullet wound. The day was dragging by for Peggy, every time she looked at the clock it seemed as if only five minutes had passed from the last time she looked. Deciding she needed some fresh air, Peggy stepped out of the office down to the lobby. 

Once outside, she took several deep breaths trying to anchor herself back to the earth. During her breathing, she managed to overhear a conversation between two ladies at the bus stop nearby. 

“You’d really leave New York for him?” 

“Of course I would. I’d go anywhere with him.”

“I get you’re crazy about the guy, but how far is the relationship going to go with a guy that has one arm?”

“I don’t care that he has one arm. I don’t care if he has ten arms. I love him and I’d do anything for him. He’s my soul mate.”

The bus arrived, and the pair got on, leaving Peggy behind. She knew what she needed to do. Rushing back into the building, she took the elevator back up to the office and went straight for her desk, grabbing her purse and coat. 

“Ramirez, have you seen Thompson?” Peggy asked.

“I think he went to lunch. Why?” Ramirez didn’t bother to look up from his desk. 

“Tell him I won’t be coming in tomorrow. Where’s Daniel?”

“Interrogation 1.”

Peggy took off towards the hallway, slipping on her coat as she made her way. She opened the door to reveal Daniel sitting at the table, finishing up some paperwork. Her entrance caught Daniel’s attention. 

“Hey Peg.”

“Daniel, I can’t have dinner with you tonight.”

“Oh, okay.” Daniel twisted his face into confusion at Peggy’s statement. 

“I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Daniel was starting to understand what was happening. 

“I have to go find out.”

“Find out what?”

“If he’s still really in love with me. Because I’m still in love with him. I am. I’ve been in love with him since 1942, before he became Captain America. He’s everything to me. He’s my life, and I’ve felt complete since he’s been back, and when he was gone I felt so empty. He’s the love of my life and he’s my soul mate.” Peggy’s voice cracked.

Daniel looked up at Peggy with sincere eyes. Deep in the pit of his stomach he had a feeling this was coming with Cap's return, but he had always hoped that he was simply imagining things, that the rumors about Agent Carter and Captain America were simply just rumors, but it had become glaringly obvious they were far from simply being tall tales.

"Peggy, it's normal not to forget your first love, but I want you for myself."

Peggy's eyes were full of tears at Daniel's admission, she hated the fact that she was breaking his heart but knew that letting him go was the right thing to do. It would be unfair to carry on a relationship with Daniel while her feelings for Steve were still so fresh. She walked forward to Daniel, standing between his legs and placed her hands on his face.

“You’ll find someone Daniel. You will, you’re such a wonderful man. She’s out there, I know she is. Someone who will love you the way you deserve to be loved. You’ll find her, I know you will.” Peggy lifter her hands away from Daniel's face and wiped the tears from her eyes, leaning forward to kiss Daniel. He closed his eyes, but didn’t fight Peggy from leaving. This was fate, and he wasn't going to stand in the way. He loved Peggy too much to not let her go, and so he did.

Peggy ran out to the street, hailing a cab to take her to Howard’s. She sat in the back of the cab praying that she wasn’t too late.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The cab pulled up out front of Howard’s house, the dark windows making her stomach drop. She paid him quickly and jumped out of the cab, making a frantic dash for the front door of the house. Throwing it open, Peggy ran through the main rooms calling Steve’s name. It was obvious that there had been people in the house recently, but there was no sign of anyone there now. Peggy dropped onto a nearby chair, crying silent tears, cursing herself for not coming out sooner. Suddenly, a noise in the garage caught her attention. 

Peggy approached the garage cautiously, not wanting to startle whoever was in there. Peering around the corner, her heart almost burst. Steve was in the garage, working on the motorcycle, his white shirt clung to his torso, and there were grease smears on his face. He was concentrating on trying to tighten a bolt that he didn’t even notice that Peggy was standing in the doorway. Satisfied with the bolt, Steve looked up from behind the bike to finally notice Peggy.

He stood, grabbed a rag and wiped his hands, smiling at Peggy as she came closer to him. 

“I thought I missed you. There’s no one in the house.”

“Yeah, they left. About an hour ago.” Steve leaned back against a tool bench. 

“And you stayed?”

“I did.”

“What changed your mind?”

“You did, of course.” Steve began to walk towards Peggy.

“I decided I wanted to stay and fight for you. Besides, if I left I wouldn’t be able to tell you that there is no one else in the world that I would rather be with than with you.” Steve stood in front of Peggy now, his hand on her hips. 

“There are so many thing I want to do in my life, and I want to do them all with you. I got a second chance, and there’s no way in hell I’m wasting it.”

Peggy threw her arms around Steve’s neck, capturing his mouth in a deep kiss. His arms wound their way around her waist, tilting her whole body back to deepen the kiss, earning a delighted squeal from Peggy. They broke apart only when air was necessary, foreheads touching. Steve laughed as he wiped some of the grease off of Peggy’s face that had transferred from his, pulling her in for another kiss.

“I love you Steven Rogers. I always have, even when you were 94 pounds, I adored you.” Peggy stated as she broke their kiss. 

Suddenly Howard, rubbing the back of his head gingerly, interrupted them. 

“A stranger in my lab just called me dad and told me he loved me. Do I just have that sort of effect on people?” It was pretty obvious Natasha had knocked out Howard before too many questions could be asked. 

Still holding each other, Steve and Peggy laughed. 

“What?” Howard asked.

“Howard, I’ll explain it to you later.” Steve laughed. 

Howard walked back towards the house, still rubbing his head and talking to himself, determined to figure out what had happened in the lab. 

“Well, should we go into the house?” Steve asked Peggy. 

She tightened her grip around his waist, not wanting to let go of him for even a second. 

“Let’s stay here for a few more minutes. I just want a few moments of you all to myself.” Peggy nuzzled her face into Steve’s chest. 

Steve reached down, lifting Peggy’s chin to meet his eyes. 

“We’ve got an entire lifetime of you and me ahead of us.”

END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's all for this story. Maybe I'll throw up an epilogue to this story, if the right storyline comes to mind. I hope I didn't make Peggy too harsh during what was essentially her break up with Daniel, but I took my inspiration from various shows I've been re-watching lately. Thanks for all the kudos on this story, I hope you all enjoyed it!


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